Professor of Nursing, Cyprus University of Technology, Cyprus
My clinical experience has mainly been in cardiac care units. And since 2007, when my academic career began, my research has focused on heart failure. Population ageing is increasing the prevalence and incidence of heart failure, and I am driven to ensure my research contributes in a supportive way to patients and caregivers, health providers and healthcare systems in Cyprus and beyond. My PhD was centred on gerontology nursing. I also feel passionately that the development of specialist nurses is essential for tackling this condition. It’s one of the major challenges facing healthcare systems and economies around the world.
Busy but fulfilling. I usually go to the university, either for lectures or administrative work. I try to meet with my research associates as much as possible to coordinate our clinical studies and follow up on patients. This collaboration supports early career professionals to become involved in the field of heart failure and develop their skillset. This research ultimately benefits patients with heart failure and their caregivers, which brings value to my everyday work.
There has been great progress in heart failure nursing in Cyprus over the last 15 years, filling the gap between patients’ needs and the care provided. Unfortunately, we still lack well-organised management programmes for healthcare settings that effectively integrate specialist nurse-led care. Researchers have started to evidence the importance of such programmes through clinical studies. We now need European countries and the EU to recognise the needs of patients and enhance efforts to improve the management of heart failure.
I wanted to become a part of an international and multidisciplinary network. It is very motivating to be connected with professionals who share the same concerns, and support efforts to improve the management of heart failure across Europe and beyond.
I would like the HFPN to continue providing a platform to represent the voice of the heart failure community, including patients and healthcare specialists. It is essential to have a strong, united voice to engage policymakers.
To improve heart failure outcomes, we need to develop effective management programmes to ensure that early diagnosis (especially for HFpEF) and comprehensive care are delivered.
The focus on patient involvement has been very interesting. Recent studies show that, for effective new treatments for heart failure to fulfil their potential and improve patient outcomes, it is important for patients to be involved in their care management. I also think research on multidisciplinary care coordination and collaboration has been essential – we must now integrate these findings into our practices.
I enjoy spending time with my family and my dogs, exercising, and meeting friends.
The Network brings together experts who are united in their passion: to improve outcomes for people living with heart failure.
We share profiles of our members to showcase what led them to work in heart failure, and find out about changes they would like to see in prevention and care.
